Courtyards and gardens

We want you to feel comfortable in the Museum and, for this reason, we have dedicated various places to rest, lecture, consult… it is just your choice.

We encourage you to watch the wood ceillings at the college, enjoy the gardens, listen to classic operas in front of Laocoonte, penetrate into the José Val del Omar’s experimental film, and know other aspects of the collections via the internet, or the interactive tools and documentaries projected along the visit.

Boteros street

In the garden of the Museum we can see two shields of stone that become from the ancient Boatmen Street, known because craftsmen of leather had there its workshops and outdoor shops.

At present this space is still conserved, although is almost hidden to pedestrians with doors that close it.

Pradera theatre

The Pradera Theatre building was located in the Plaza Zorrilla, near the entrance of Campo Grande Park, and its main facade contained a shield of Valladolid which is now in our garden. The theater began its activity on 16 September 1910. The building was demolished in 1968.

Rodrigo de Calderón and the House of the Knockers

The most famous owner of the House of the Knockers was D. Rodrigo Calderon, important figure in the court of Philip III and favorite of the Duke of Lerma.

in 1619 Calderón was accused of several causes, including to assassinate Queen Margaret, and was arrested in this house. He was tried and beheaded in the Plaza Mayor of Madrid, death that he assumed with great dignity. From that moment came the refrain "he has more pride than Don Rodrigo Calderon on the gallows", even though he died not hanged.

The attempt of demolition of the church of the Vera Cruz

Although it is a very strange episode, Valladolid City Council embarked on the late nineteenth century the acquisition and demolition of the penitential church of the Vera Cruz. The aim was to prolong the Platerías Street to access quickly to the Plaza de San Pablo from the Plaza (the church was situated in the middle of the route). Finally there was not demolished but the reason had nothing to do with heritage conservation, but rather with the price of the purchase of the Church, higher than what the City Council could afford.